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JDJ Caer
Caer y Mynydd Tŵr – A Short History. It is believed that Caer y Mynydd Tŵr is from an ancient language and translates as: Holyhead Mountain Fortress or Fortress of Holyhead Mountain. This is a short compilation of information gleaned from various ancient tomes and scrolls. Most of those tomes and scrolls were magically protected at one time, but eventually the magic faded and they began to decay. When rediscovered long after the time of the settlement of the Apple Star and Acorn Groves Old Town, it was decided to handle the fragile documents as little as possible until they could be salvaged by various users of magic. The following is the little that could be gleaned without damaging those tomes and scrolls. A great many millennia ago, Holyhead Mountain, as it would become named, had many geological formations consisting of underground enclosures with access not only from the surface of the ground but also from the sea. These natural caves and caverns were inhabited by numerous races at various stages of development physically and in their capacity to think. As time passed they also evolved a variety of civilizations or cultures, none know of a certainty just how many races with their various cultures were there in that far distant past. Some of those races managed to live in peace with one another and proceeded to alter two of the largest caverns over the years. They slowly made a fortress out of the caverns; chiseling, carving, adding stone walls, stairs leading from one part to another. Furnishings, carpets, tapestries, artwork and crafted items were brought from distant lands to add to the comfort and beauty of this fortress in the womb of the mountain cliffs. The result was the magnificent and magical Caer y Mynydd Tŵr. Long ago. the Dominion portion of Caer y Mynydd Tŵr was simply called the Living Quarters and the Custodian portion was divided into three main portions. The north and south ends were used much the same way large outdoor plazas are used. Those indoor “plazas” were the gathering places for the inhabitants. There are accounts of merchants having stalls at each end, niches where small groups could meet and socialize in many ways. Sages debated one another there, sometimes with large audiences. Children played amongst the pools, fountains and trees that had been planted there in that Great Hall. Apparently, there were many sorts of magics used to cause the plants in the interior of the mountain fortress to flourish. Bards and Troubadours wandered about making music or reciting poetry, even telling of their epic historic sagas; as all the while lovers found private corners in which to court one another. The middle of that fantastically huge Great Hall was secular and evidently used for various ceremonies. From all accounts, Caer y Mynydd Tŵr was an idyllic place to live and gave safe shelter for a surprisingly large population. The forests around it teamed with animals and were tended by the Druids and Rangers inhabiting the mountain fortress, all while knowing that their families were safe in that mountain womb. There were, after all, only two small entrances to it that were well guarded, instead of large gated entranceways. This consummate happiness began to change with the arrival of a man simply referred to as Red Robe. From the little gleaned by translations of journals, diaries and the occasional scroll, when Red Robe first arrived, he seemed to be an amiable Human male. He made himself welcome primarily by assisting the Hierophants of Caer y Mynydd Tŵr with various magics and “improvements” to that ancient fortress within the mountain. When not working with those magics of his, he would socialize around the mountain fortress, acting the part of a sage and mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom. Since he had presented himself as a practitioner of the Arcane on his arrival and while assisting the Hierophants in making the Caer magically enhanced, this caused no few eyebrows to be raised. Over time, Red Robe began to gather followers. The implication being that those “followers” were among the least intelligent and wise in Caer y Mynydd Tŵr. Red Robe was smart enough to keep his teachings quiet. He did not pontificate out in the open of the plazas in the Great Hall. The meetings, being small at first, were in the room the Hierophants had given him to live in while assisting with improving the protective magics in the fortress. Later on, the meetings were held in the glades of the forest south of the fortress. As far as I can tell, the main thrust and attraction of Red Robe was his insistence that Druids and Rangers had misunderstood the teachings of the Goddesses and Gods of nature. Instead of having the custodial care of the good earth and it's bounty, the Druids and Rangers actually had dominion. If my readers look up those two words, they might understand the subtle, but disastrous difference in practice of the terms. Red Robe taught that instead of being Custodians, keepers, stewards of the nature Deities, taking care not to destroy the balances, the Druids and Rangers actually had Dominion. They should rule the lands and had every right to profit from it. Red Robe also made trips west of the Caer y Mynydd Tŵr southern slope and forest. It seems he took it upon himself to make treaties with a small race there, allowing them to mine parts of the mountain. This caused his nefarious schemes to come to light in the eyes of the Hierophants, who most certainly resented his actions. Civil war began in Caer y Mynydd Tŵr. As with most such wars, families were divided, parents disowning adult children who were followers of Red Robe, siblings drawing down on siblings. The few details that I could glean of some of these familial tragedies are saddening. Holyhead Mountain Fortress, once a thriving community primarily for Druids and Rangers, was divided into at least two major areas or factions: Custodian Habitat and Dominion Habitat. In a way, the Dominion area still thrives. The part that is now called the Custodian Habitat has been slowly abandoned over the last few centuries as those who considered themselves “custodians” of the land eventually gave way to those who believed that nature is to be exploited rather than protected. Some references suggest that those Druids and Rangers who moved away from Caer y Mynydd Tŵr did not go far. It would seem that around the time of the migration away from the interior of the mountain, some Druids from another area, possibly D'Jinni's Anvil, had begun a war with the inhabitants of the area west of the forest at on the South slope of Caer y Mynydd Tŵr, probably the same people that Red Robe had invited to mine the cliffs around Caer y Mynydd Tŵr. There, the Druids and Rangers combined forces and drove the small people away from the forests they had all but destroyed. These triumphant Druids and Rangers then intermarried. Some settled on the bay there and started to build what is now the beautiful Gooseberry Bay Village. Others took their new friends and families and returned to the forest south of Caer y Mynydd Tŵr, started a small fortified settlement in a hollow just west of the entrance to their old home. These are the people who repaired the war ravaged forest and groves. They eventually built the Apple Star and Acorn Groves, along with the tree top village above it. The little settlement in the hollow just west of the Caer y Mynydd Tŵr still exists, but is said to be a ghost town these days. Some tomes and scrolls speak of many of the refugees of what some refer to as the Red Robe Civil War and some call the Civil War of Caer y Mynydd Tŵr, moving to Holy Head Port, which at that time was little more than a series of small islets being paved with stone. The central islet had and still has a Chapel there surrounded by large stone statues of odd looking people. At that time, there were at least two docks near that chapel, used mostly by the fishermen in huts around the chapel. Most references speak of two other islets to the north and south of the isle with the Holy Head Chapel. Those flanking isles had small hamlets and a fishing dock or two. Today they thrive, assisting in the defense of the central, now fortified main port. The primary incomes being from fishing, merchant shipping and the transport by water of Pilgrims to and from the chapel where the largest Holy Head statue is enshrined. I have been there and that enshrined head is impressive indeed, with huge sparkling sapphires inset as it's eyes. From that point, I have not been able to find much information. There are some VERY dangerous caves and caverns to the North of what is now the Apple Star and Acorn Groves forest. While some are natural, some are the remnants of the mining done by the little people from the west Those caves are said to be inhabited. I am told that there you may stumble over Die Fledermaus, which is a tough opponent. The Morlocks are a series of nasty challenges. If you can find the entrances, you may travel through the Custodian portion of Caer y Mynydd Twr and should be safe, but if you open the wrong door in the Dominion portion of Caer y Mynydd Twr, you will probably become dog meat. Or duck fodder. I have heard that if you do travel through that mountain fortress, the North slope of Holy Head Mountain holds Chiaroscuro Glen where there are some nasty forms of Goblins and Bugbears living and who are fiercely territorial. Perhaps I shall make a study of those someday, from the safety of my study of course. Or possibly the relative safety of the environs of adventurers, such as Peach Tree Tavern and Inn. I shall take notes while the adventurers celebrate their winnings and brag to anyone who will listen of their valor and prowess. Just how long the war between the Dominion faction and the Custodians actually lasted is difficult to determine. There are indications that in some ways, it continues to this day. Legends say that Red Robe grew old and eventually became a Lich. He and the remnants of his followers dwell in the upper portion of that mountain fortress and call it their Dominion. However, I have not been there myself; I am but a scholar and it is not likely that I would willingly risk my life just to confirm the tall tales that adventurers tell in the local taverns. Adventurers have claimed to have been in Dominion. They report it to be quite dangerous and that even if Red Robe is seemingly destroyed, he returns eventually, somehow rising up his loyal following. I can but speculate how Red Robe might accomplish such. Perhaps some object used by a lich to contain its soul, such as a Soul Jar or Phylactory. If so, I wonder whether there could be more than one. Jeanie D'Jinni December 24, 2010